Until Next Summer
by Pixiebby
Summary: He loves her, and she loves him... but she also loves him.     Kai/Mary/Gray


**Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon.. or Ziploc. I own nothing. **

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Kai hissed as he looked in the mirror, lightly touching and inspecting the horrible bruise forming around his left eye. He was in the bathroom of the Snack Shack, cursing his luck as he picked the Ziploc bag of ice shavings back up and held it over his eye. He sighed, leaning against the sink and continued to stare into the mirror.

A black eye. He just couldn't believe it.

The sound of bells jingling informed him that a customer had entered the shop and Kai cursed as he swung the bathroom door open.

"Didn't you read the sign? The Shop is closed for the-" Kai lost the rest of his words as his anger slowly trickled away, his vision resting on the girl who stood by the front door.

Mary?

"What are you doing here?" Kai asked as he looked her up and down, half wondering if Gray was near too.

Mary frowned, "So it's true."

"What? Oh, this?" He lowered his bag of ice shavings so she could see the damage. He watched as her face grimaced but didn't look away. "Yeah, but I think I got him pretty good too."

"His lip was still bleeding when he came to see me." She averted her eyes to the floor and silence fell between them for a few seconds.

"What are you doing here?" Kai asked again, shifting his weight as he raised the bag back up to his eye.

Frown still in place she put a hand through her dark hair, "I don't really know. I got so angry at Gray when he told me about the fight and... and I just had to come see you. I need to talk to you." She looked up at him features changing to anger, "He had no right to hit you Kai. I know he started that fight. And, and-" She grunted and crossed her arms over herself, "I feel like this is my fault."

Kai shook his head, taking a few steps towards her. "Well it's not. It's mine, I wasn't exactly... tactful about this. I probably would have punched me too." He lowered the bag down from his eye and put a hand lightly on her shoulder. "You know, this is the first time you ever came down to my store.." He flashed her a grin and she gave him a small smile in return.

"I guess you want to make me that pineapple snow cone you keep talking about now." She said with a bit a humor in her voice. Kai smiled down at her, eyebrows going up.

"You really want me to make you one? Right now?" He laughed and put the bag of ice shavings back on his eye. "What ever happened to taking care of the injured?"

Mary frowned and went to go sit down at one of the tables, keeping her eyes averted away from him. "Kai.. I have to talk to you. I just.. I don't know if this is really a good idea."

Kai's grin left his face as he stared at her, shaking his head as he went to go sit down across from her. "Hey, this isn't your fault. I.. please don't have second thoughts about this. I'm sorry Gray got mad.. but, did you really expect him not to?" Her shoulders shook a little as she brought her hands to her face, adamantly not looking up at him.

"How am I suppose to leave Mineral Town? My life is here Kai.. My parents need me.. and Gray... I still love him."

Kai grunted, stomping his foot on the ground and tightening his hold on the bag. "Well what am I suppose to say to that? I loved spending this summer with you Mary. I want you to come with me."

"Well that's just it, isn't it? We've only dated this one summer. One summer Kai... and I can't help but to feel like you're only dating me because Popuri married Jack last winter. You've never shown any interest in me before. We were never even friends before this summer... Nothing. Why now, huh? Why me?" Her eyes glistened behind her glasses when she finally turned her face toward him, silent tears forming in her eyes.

Kai stared at her, dropping the cold bag of ice from his eye and put it down on the table. Trying to figure out what to say... She was right, after all. Coming back to Mineral Town to find Popuri married was a little bit of a shock to say the least. He had a feeling she had liked Jack, but never thought she would go and marry him.

He would be lying if he said he didn't miss her.

He would also be lying if he said he didn't have strong feelings for Mary.

"Kai.." He glanced over to her, a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. "I still love Gray. This summer... it's been great. I loved spending the summer with you too. I just... the more time I spend with you. The more I feel like-like, like I miss Gray."

His stomach did a flip. "Well, I guess he still has feelings for you too. Considering he decked me when I tried to tell him about us." He glanced toward her again, "Is he waiting for you outside?"

She nodded her head, "Yes.."

"I guess you better go then." Kai got up from his seat, and turned around to stalk to the back of the room when he felt her hand on his arm. He turned around to find her face a couple inches from his.

"What do you want Mary? I get it. This doesn't have to be some dramatic ending. Go to Gray, he's waiting for you." He was angry and hurt. What was he? Some disposable summer boyfriend? Someone they could just throw away when he left. "Please take your hand off me."

She let out a breath as she closed the distance between them. Kai didn't react at first, but closed his eyes and kissed her back slow when he realized what she did. He brought a hand to her face, and felt his blood start to get hot under his skin. He deepened the kiss a little and stopped when he tasted the tears, he brought his head back a little to look down at her.

"Kai- I'm so sorry.."

He rubbed his thumb over her face for a second before he let her go and took a step back. "I understand Mary.. I hope you'll be happy with him."

"You're coming back next summer though, right? I don't want to lose you as a friend because of this."

A friend. Right. "I come back every summer, don't I?" She gave a little nod, and wrapped her arms around him.

"I'll write you while you're gone." She whispered.

"I'll write back." They held each other for a moment before they both turned at the sound of bells from the front of the store.

He let go of Mary and took a step back. "Gray."

Gray nodded and glanced over at Mary, who walked over to him and took his hand.

The air felt heavy, and Kai felt like he was going to be sick. What was he suppose to do? He wanted to fight for her, but how do you when they clearly want someone else?

Kai just watched as Gray led Mary out of the shop, and heard the bells jingle as the door closed after them.

Gray better be good to her, because Kai would be back next summer.


End file.
